Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

In hospital abroad and so so scared

197 replies

sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 17:36

Earlier today I looked upwards while on a zip wire and immediately got a blinding pain in the back top of my head. This happened earlier this week but went away quite quickly and I thought it was stress as my ASD child was mid melt down.

My head felt like it was going to explode for maybe 20 minutes. It felt like I had been whacked round the back of the head.

Has now eased off but 3 hours later the pain in the back of my head is still there. Has turned into a more general bad headache feeling.

I'm abroad and called 111 in UK for advice. They advised I come to hospital and said possible brain haemorrhage which has frightened the life out of me.

My husband has taken the children for food and I am waiting alone. Im so frighted.

OP posts:
Original poster
sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 21:54

@Wallywobbles thank you so much x x

OP posts:
Knackeredhamster · 04/08/2023 21:56

@sorehead123

I hope you also saw my post. It's really really important xx

thaegumathteth · 04/08/2023 21:59

Hope you're ok OP

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
DancingLedgend · 04/08/2023 22:00

I would echo everyone saying , hang in there with the wait, let go of what 'should ' be happening on a holiday, because French healthcare is currently, sadly, way better than NHS, and you'll get a proper diagnosis sooner.

You're in one of the best places to be, given what's happened, and I'm sure things will become clearer before too long.

Get them to give you something in writing to take home to your UK Dr.

You are absolutely too articulate and compos mentis to have suffered a brain haemorrage, so relax on that front.

Best of luck.

Original poster
sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 22:02

@Knackeredhamster I did. Thank you. That's what I am frightened of.

OP posts:
Clafoutie · 04/08/2023 22:02

sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 17:50

@Rowgtfc72 thank you that makes me feel less panicked

Trapped nerve in neck was my first thought too OP. Sending thoughts and Flowers

Knackeredhamster · 04/08/2023 22:05

sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 22:02

@Knackeredhamster I did. Thank you. That's what I am frightened of.

You're in the right place and if it is you have survived it.

Much love xx

lostparcel · 04/08/2023 22:12

Sorry to hear your in hospital.

It could be a pulled muscle in your neck as they run from your neck up the back of your head.

I had a headache for weeks (don't suffer from headaches at all) and worried that it was something serious. The doctor felt the muscles at the back of my neck and told me to go and see a physio. It helped a lot.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 04/08/2023 22:18

Still thinking of you and sending healing thoughts your way

Original poster
sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 22:19

Thank you all.

I appreciate it so much and feel less alone.

For those asking about how I called 111 from abroad, I just dialled as usual. I did say I was in France but wanted the quickest easiest way to ask advice on whether to seek medical help.

OP posts:
Andthereyougo · 04/08/2023 22:20

First, you’ll get superb, fast treatment in a French hospital. They are very thorough.
A similar thing happened to a student at the end of an exam I was supervising, iirc she was mid - late 20s, keeled over clutching her head and screaming in pain. Ambulance, hospital. Turned out to be some sort of flash migraine brought on probably by exam stress. She was fine the next day.

Hope you’re doing ok.

TappingTed · 04/08/2023 22:26

@DancingLedgend your medical advice-

“You are absolutely too articulate and compos mentis to have suffered a brain haemorrage, so relax on that front.”

is as poor as your spelling. People can have minor brain bleeds which present in a similar fashion as to what the OP reports and can very much be talking and making sense. Hence the requirement for CT scans and further investigation when a medical professional deems it necessary.

Knackeredhamster · 04/08/2023 22:30

TappingTed · 04/08/2023 22:26

@DancingLedgend your medical advice-

“You are absolutely too articulate and compos mentis to have suffered a brain haemorrage, so relax on that front.”

is as poor as your spelling. People can have minor brain bleeds which present in a similar fashion as to what the OP reports and can very much be talking and making sense. Hence the requirement for CT scans and further investigation when a medical professional deems it necessary.

Absolutely.

This is why mine was dismissed as a migraine.
It left me extremely vulnerable for days without knowing it.

Thankyou for posting this.

EvelynBeatrice · 04/08/2023 22:30

You are lucky that if this had to happen it happened in France. The World Health Organisation consistently rate the French health system very highly. You may find that access to any scan required and therefore diagnosis - and they will be careful with you - is far faster than in the U.K. Hang in there. All the best.

Original poster
sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 22:37

@EvelynBeatrice 🤞🏻

OP posts:
LastChanceForIt · 04/08/2023 22:41

Chardonnay73 · 04/08/2023 17:40

You poor thing, I imagine if it was as serious as a brain haemorrhage then you wouldn’t be capable of posting on Mumsnet so take comfort from that?

This isn’t always the case sometimes people experience the ‘thunderclap’ head pain and can feel unwell for a short time then have a period of time where they feel ‘ok’ and seem ‘normal’ only to suddenly deteriorate

endofthelinefinally · 04/08/2023 22:43

I wish we could copy the French system. It is so much better than the nhs. OP, they will look after you.

HopityHope · 04/08/2023 22:49

Please keep waiting no mater how long it takes. You need to be seen and tell them the head positions and what happened before

apapuchi · 04/08/2023 22:51

Thinking of you @sorehead123sorehead123 please stay, be seen and I hope all is well 💗

illiterato · 04/08/2023 22:53

Just wanted to say I know being abroad makes it more scary as it’s just an unknown system. I was in Australia when I had to have a corneal graft. Navigating the system just felt so alien. They were great and so kind but it was still quite traumatic tbh. So hang in there, and as a really kind gp’s receptionist said when I started crying at check in “ it’s ok not to be ok”

Wowzel · 04/08/2023 22:55

Don't go home until they have ruled out a subarachnoid haemorrhage

adriftabroad · 04/08/2023 22:57

Posters sayng "it is just a migraine" are kind, but foolish.

Turmerictolly · 04/08/2023 23:01

You'll be in good hands in the French system- better than here.

Littlegoth · 04/08/2023 23:04

NRTFT so excuse me if it’s already been mentioned. Does it ease off or go away when you lie down flat? If it does then ask the hospital to check for a
meningeal tear. Nipping the meninges can cause a spinal fluid leak. Thinking of the activity you were doing, it’s a possibility.

I had one a few years ago and the headache felt like a baseball bat to the head. Went on for months as no one could figure out what was wrong with me - spinal headaches are usually from car crashes, sporting injuries or epidurals - I just woke up with it one day. 8 months of crippling headaches from essentially sleeping funny…

Hope you feel better soon. X

Original poster
sorehead123 · 04/08/2023 23:07

@Littlegoth thank you for your post that hasn't been mentioned and I haven't tried lying down.

OP posts: